


We'll Be Okay

by Relh99



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Amnesia, Coming Out, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, Romance, risen battles, temporary major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 08:08:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18442490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Relh99/pseuds/Relh99
Summary: "We'll be okay," Chrom whispered. "I promise."The entirety of Fire Emblem: Awakening in a one-shot.





	We'll Be Okay

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot I started writing about three to four years ago I think. I wrote the first couple sections on paper and then lost it awhile back. I found that paper about a year ago, and after a lot of procrastination I finally finished it. 
> 
> Also, all of the events are retold from my memory. I didn't replay the game to finish writing this, but on that note, I have played through the whole game about 7-10 times, so the events are pretty clear in my head, but if I get anything wrong I do apologize.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know?" The man with royal blue hair chuckled. He offered his hand to the man on the ground and smiled gently. "Give me your hand."

Hesitating slightly, the man on the ground eventually grabbed the outstretched hand. He struggled to get to his feet, stumbling a bit, but the blue haired man helped steady him.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

  
"Y-yes," the shaken man said. "Thank you, Chrom."

*****

"Chrom!" Robin called, running to catch up with the prince, who was leading the group.

  
"Yes?" Chrom asked, turning around and stopping. He waved for the rest of the Shepherds to continue on without him.

  
"Can I ask you something?"

  
"Uh-oh," Chrom chuckled, smiling at the tactician. "Should I be nervous?"

  
Robin shook his head. "I was just wondering... I know this isn't the best time, but I don't want to forget, and since we're just marching I figured-"

  
"What is it, Robin?"

  
The tactician took a breath. "When you found me a few days ago, passed out in the middle of that field with no memory... why did you take me in?"

  
"Because you were passed out with no memories?" Chrom answers back in the form of a question.

  
"That's it?" Robin asked. "Pity was your reason?"

  
"Is that not enough?"

  
"Did you ever stop to consider if it was some kind of a trap?"

  
Chrom laughed at the question. "That's what I have Frederick for."

  
"But why didn't-"

  
"Robin," Chrom said, cutting him off. "If I see someone hurt or in need, I'm going to help them. That's just who I am."

  
The prince smirked. "Or would you rather I'd left you there, face down in the muck for brigands to find?"

  
"First of all, I was lying on my back." Robin shook his head. "But of course not. I'm thankful for what you did, truly! It just scares me that you didn't think it through before offering me your help." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I can only offer you advice. You should really be more careful in the future."

  
"Sorry, but no," the prince frowned. "If it happened again today, I'd do the exact same thing."

  
"But-"

  
"Peace, friend," Chrom smiled gently. "I know you mean well, but this is who I am. I cannot change that, nor would I want to."

  
"I-" Robin sighed and shook his head, knowing there was no pointing in arguing further. "I understand. Just please try and be careful before running headfirst into situations. For my sake if not your own."

  
"I will try," Chrom said, placing his hand on Robin's shoulder, squeezing it gently in comfort. "I promise."

*****

The night after they received word of Emmeryn's capture, the Shepherds began to march to Plegia under Chrom's orders.

  
"Chrom, are you alright?" Robin asked softly, his voice just above a whisper.

  
"I'm fine."

  
"I'm begging you, Chrom, do not take any foolish risks when we get there," Robin pleaded. "I'm working on a plan to get everyone out of there alive."

  
"This is war," Chrom growled. "Just stepping onto the battlefield alone is a risk."

  
"I said _foolish risks_!" Robin spat back. "You're our commander, Chrom! Victories mean nothing if an army loses its leader!"

  
"And a kingdom is nothing without its ruler!" Chrom argued.

  
There was a silence between them as they marched. None of the other Shepherds jumped in or spoke to each other. They were all eavesdropping on their Captain and their tactician's argument.

  
Chrom sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You're right. You're always right. I'll be careful. Thank you, Robin."

  
Robin's hand gently brushed against Chrom's, but the tactician quickly pulled it away, instead placing his hand on the Captain's shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze.

  
"No problem."

*****

A month had passed since the war ended; two months since Emmeryn's death. Chrom had just been crowned exalt, but instead of celebrating with his Shepherds and the rest of the kingdom, he hid himself away in his room. His crown laid off to the side on a small table, away from Chrom.

  
A soft knock on his door caused Chrom to jump slightly, but he quickly composed himself and cleared his throat.

  
"Who is it?"

  
"I'll give you three guesses."

  
Chrom rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "You can come in, but I'm not going to the party."

  
Robin opened the door and chuckled softly. "How'd you already know what I was going to say?"

  
"What kind of Captain would I be if I didn't know my team inside and out?" Chrom laughed.

  
Robin closed the door behind him and pulled up a chair to face Chrom, who was seated on the foot of his bed.

  
"Why won't you come back to the party?" Robin asked. "It is for you after all."

  
Chrom frowned and focused his gaze on the floor between his feet. "We shouldn't even be having this celebration. Emmeryn should be here, ruling over Ylisse. I'm not fit to rule in her place."

  
Robin sighed and leaned forward in his chair. "Chrom, I'm sorry that things turned out the way they did. If I could go back in time, I would plan differently. I would send someone up after her, or go myself, or have Sumia and Cordelia-"

  
"No, Robin, none of the blame falls on you," Chrom said, cutting him off. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you think you were at fault. I just can't handle the stress of the crown, and I haven't even had it for a whole day yet."

  
"What stress?" Robin asked. "I mean, I can only imagine how stressful ruling an entire kingdom is, but it's only day one. What stress is there right now?"

  
"Well, for starters, I just became Exalt and the council is already pressuring me to choose a bride so I can provide an heir to the throne," Chrom said, rolling his eyes. "They said they don't want another to rely on Lissa to provide heirs to the throne since she's still young, and Emmeryn never had any children, so it's up to me now."

  
Robin bit his bottom lip and frowned. "Do you have anyone in mind to take as a bride?" He asked. "I know Maribelle has noble blood, but Sumia is really into you. Or Sully maybe? Or, no, not Sully-"

  
"Robin, stop," Chrom sighed. "I'm not getting married."

  
Robin blinked in surprise. "Oh?"

  
Chrom shook his head. "The council said I need to provide an heir. By technicality, a bastard child can be counted as an heir, so long as they have the brand and are raised in the castle."

  
"Why not just marry?" Robin asked.

  
Chrom took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I do not want to hurt anyone by doing that to them."

  
"By doing what?"

  
"Marrying them."

  
"Okay, now I'm confused," Robin sighed. "How would you hurt someone by marrying them?"

  
"Robin," Chrom said slowly. "I do not like women."

  
"What?"

  
"I prefer the company of men."

  
Robin blinked once. Then again. "Okay then. So your plan is to have a bastard child with some random woman so you can have an heir, but never marry?"

  
"More or less," Chrom shrugged. "You seem oddly calm about what I just told you."

  
"What, that you prefer the company of men?" Robin asked. "I mean, it's a little surprising, I wasn't expecting to hear that from you, but I don't blame you. Men are pretty nice."

  
Chrom smirked. "Now I know you're teasing me, but I appreciate your support."

  
"Teasing? No, I'm agreeing."

  
"Come again?" Chrom asked.

  
Robin rolled his eyes. "Chrom, I too prefer men over women. I mean, I'm not opposed to the company of women, but if I had a choice, I'd rather be with a man."

  
"Huh. That's... that's good to know," Chrom said slowly.

  
"Looks like you don't know your Shepherds inside and out," Robin laughed. "We're not the only ones who enjoy the same sex."

  
"What? Who else is there?" Chrom asked.

  
His tactician laughed again. "I thought you claimed to know your team!"

  
"You just told me I was wrong to make that statement! How do you know all of this?"

  
"You pay me to know the Shepherds and come up with effective strategies for everyone. I can't help it if I learn a little more by close observation," Robin smirked.

  
"Who else is there?" Chrom repeated. "Unless they've specifically asked not to be named. I understand wanting to keep that issue private. I just..." the Exalt sighed. "I thought I was alone for so long."

  
Robin frowned and leaned forward to place a hand on Chrom's shoulder. "You know every single one of the Shepherds would jump to your defense, and none of us would judge you for this."

  
"I was never sure. Like I said, I thought I was alone."

  
Robin smiled softly and gave Chrom's shoulder a gentle squeeze before letting go and leaning back in his chair.  
"Well lets see... I know Sully likes women-"

  
"Sully?!" Chrom nearly shouted. "I've known her forever! How did I not know this?"

  
"You're kinda oblivious," Robin laughed. "No offense, but I've honest to Naga seen Sully try flirting with Sumia out in the open, so how you missed that, that's on you."

  
"Sumia?" Chrom asked. "Does she-"

  
"No," Robin cut him off. "She's not into women, but she and Sully became better friends after the whole ordeal. Let me see, there's also Gaius, he's into both men and women."

  
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Chrom mumbled. He paused and blinked a few times, running over past memories. "Wait, was Gaius-"

  
"Hardcore flirting with you during the war? Oh yeah," Robin chuckled. "He and I would laugh about how you never noticed constantly."

  
"I'm glad to know my team has been laughing about me behind my back," Chrom frowned.

  
"It was all in good fun. We weren't even sure if you were into men. That was Gaius' attempt to get an answer without directly asking the question, but after watching your reactions to both Sumia and Gaius' flirting, we came to the conclusion you were just oblivious and never realized what was going on."

  
"I wasn't into Gaius either, so that might've added to my cluelessness," Chrom admitted. "Did I hurt him by not noticing his advancements?"

  
Robin shook his head. "No, Gaius was more or less doing it as an experiment to see if you were even into men, which I know sounds cruel, but it was his idea, and to be honest, I was curious too."

  
"Oh really?" Chrom chuckled. "And what made you so curious about my preferences?"

  
"The fact that I was, and still kind of am, in love with you," Robin shrugged casually.

  
Chrom frowned and gave his tactician a small glare. "Robin, you shouldn't joke about that kind of stuff."

  
"I'm not joking," Robin said.

  
"You just casually admit your feelings for people like that?" Chrom asked, still not believing him.

  
"No, but we just had a whole conversation about how you seem to miss certain cues that people are into you, so I figured the direct approach would be best." Robin ran a hand through his hair and let out a shaky, nervous sigh. He chuckled a bit and allowed a small, fearful grin to show on his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect to say that today, or ever really. I didn't plan this through at all, which I know is not like me, but I saw an opportunity and I had to take it-"

  
"Robin."

  
"-and I understand if you don't feel the same way! I just wanted to get it off my chest, and a small part of me thought now would be the best time, but obviously it wasn't. I'm sorry-"

  
"Robin."

  
"-I shouldn't have sprung this on you! You weren't expecting a love confession, and I just came into your room and admitted my feelings, and I should probably just go-"

  
Chrom cut off the rambling tactician by leaning forward and pressing their lips together. The exalt raised a hand to cup Robin's cheek, keeping his eyes closed during the kiss. Robin was frozen in shock for a brief moment, but as soon as he felt Chrom's hand on his cheek, Robin melted into the kiss. They parted too soon and stared at each other. A red flush was in Robin's cheeks and Chrom smirked.

  
"Sorry, you were rambling."

  
Robin blinked. "I should ramble more often," he whispered.

  
Chrom chuckled and leaned back to his original sitting position on the foot of his bed.

  
"So," Robin coughed. "Would you like to go back to the party, or..."

  
Chrom smiled. "I think I'm content just staying here."

*****

Two years after Chrom was crowned Exalt, he found himself standing in the throne room, slowly rocking his month old daughter to sleep. Her hair was the same royal blue as Chrom's and the brand of Naga blessed her right left eye.  
The doors to the throne room creaked open. Chrom glanced up to see Robin strolling over, keeping his footsteps light in order to not wake the baby.

  
"How is she?" Robin asked, keeping his voice at a whisper.

  
"She's wonderful," Chrom smiled.

  
"She's asleep."

  
"Exactly."

  
Robin chuckled softly and reached out to grab one of her tiny hands. Chrom watched as Robin smiled at the sleeping baby, and how he gently shook her arm in time with Chrom's rocking. The Exalt felt this strong wave emotion flood him. This was his family: Robin, his lover of two years, and their daughter, Lucina.

  
"You're not going," Chrom blurted out, forgetting to keep his voice down.

Lucina's eyes fluttered open and she started to fuss, upset over the fact that her nap had been interrupted.

  
"Chrom," Robin frowned. He took Lucina from him and began rocking her back to sleep.

  
"It's too dangerous," Chrom argued. "Lucina needs you here."

  
"She needs you too," Robin sighed, shaking his head. "Lucina is a strong child. She takes after you in that regard. Now, tell me the real reason why I can't go to Regna Ferox."

  
"I- I'm worried about you," Chrom admitted. "What if we get involved in another war? I can't bare the thought of you getting hurt."

  
"That's sweet," Robin smiled, planting a kiss on Chrom's cheek. "But I'm still going. I'm a Shepherd and your tactician. Plus, we already fought one war together. We'll make it through another one if we have to."

  
Chrom sighed. "I know there's no arguing with you once your mind is made up, but please promise me that you'll head back home at the first sign of danger."

  
"I'll be careful," Robin agreed, "But I won't head back. You're going to need me if they ask for troops."

  
"Can we really afford to engage in another war just two years after the last?" Chrom asked.

  
Robin smiled and glanced back down at their sleeping infant. "We'll be okay."

*****

Plegia offered to fund the war against Valm and provide war ships, but something about their meeting felt off. Both Chrom and Robin swore Plegia's new King, Validar, looked exactly like the assassin they killed years ago; the one that tried to murder Emmeryn. Plus, the highest ranked hierophant in Plegia looked almost exactly like Robin and shared his name, only the hierophant was clearly a decade or two older.

  
Once they were outside the palace, Robin separated himself from the rest of the Shepherds. He stared at the ground and let his thoughts run wild.

_Who was that man? How could they bare the same face?_

  
" _Robin_..." a voice howled through the wind. " _Heed me, Robin_..."

  
"Who's there?" The tactician asked, reaching for the steel sword at his side. He could've sworn he was alone.

  
" _Heed my call, Robin_ ," the voice rasped.  
A sharp pain shot through Robin's head, causing him to double over and drop to his knees. His hands rose to grip the sides of his head as he tucked his head closer to his chest.

  
"Who are you?!" Robin shouted to the voice. "What's going on? Show yourself!"

  
A flash of white light appeared in front of Robin. He raised his head slightly to see the figure standing before him.

Validar.

  
"Why do you close your heart to him, Robin?" Validar asked. "Why do you close your heart to me? Is it because you've opened your heart to another?"

  
"V-Validar?" Robin stuttered, flinching in pain.

  
"You truly have forgotten," he smirked.

  
"You were... calling me- AH! My head!" Robin cried out in pain, squeezing his eyes shut. "Get out of my head!"

  
The King of Plegia just chuckled at the tacticians cries of agony. "Such arrogance! You dare take such a tone with your own father?"

  
"M-my what?"

  
Validar stepped closer. "You are of my own flesh. However, you are of sacred blood. You were born to serve such a glorious purpose! Search deep in your heart, my son. You know I speak the truth."

  
"No..." Robin gasped. "Get out..."

  
"Why do you resist me? Resist us?" Validar asked, raising his voice, causing Robin to flinch in pain. "Your rightful place is at my side! Don't waste your time with these damned servants of Naga! Give yourself over to Grima!"

  
"No," Robin whispered. "I can't..."

  
"Robin!" Chrom shouted in the distance. The Exalt ran over to Robin's side and knelt down beside him. "Robin, what's wrong?" He asked.

  
"Not this one again," Validar scoffed. "No matter. In time, you will see the truth, Robin."

  
With that, Validar and the pain in Robin's head vanished.

  
"Robin?" Chrom asked. He wrapped his arms around the tactician who was still shaking from the encounter. "Shh... It's okay. Are you alright? I heard shouting," Chrom asked, keeping his voice soft, trying to sooth Robin.

  
Robin shook his head, struggling to catch his breath. The pain was gone, but he could still feel the lingering effects of Validar's magic in his head. A few tears fell from his face as the whole event replayed itself in Robin's head.

  
"Robin, what happened? Why are you crying?" Chrom asked, begging his lover for an answer.

  
Robin took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself down. The lingering pain and shock of the information overwhelmed him, but he tried his hardest to at the very least steady his breathing.

  
"K-King Validar, he... he spoke to me. I-it was like a... a mental link, or something," he stumbled. "He, he said I was h-his... his son."

  
"What?" Chrom shifted his body to try and look Robin in the eyes, but the tactician was keeping his head buried in his arms, curled up against Chrom.

  
Robin shook his head slightly. "I don't know if, if it's t-true or not, but... I also d-don't think he's lying..."

  
Chrom rubbed Robin's arm in comfort, holding him close. He had never seen Robin so upset or worked up, but that kind of news must've been hard to hear. Robin just stayed curled up in Chrom's arms, shivering slightly from the cooling air, but he seemed to be calming down some.

  
"That hierophant that looked like you. It's possible that he's your brother," Chrom said, trying to make sense of the situation.

  
"I don't remember," Robin sighed. "Even after hearing what Validar had to say... I still don't remember my past, and I don't think I want to remember anymore..."

  
"It'll be okay," Chrom whispered, hugging Robin close. "You are yourself before you are any man's son."

  
Robin smiled weakly. "Thank you, Chrom."

*****

"Chrom?" Robin called, walking over to the river where Chrom and Marth were standing. Marth had asked to speak to Chrom specifically, but they had been talking for awhile and Robin was getting impatient. It hadn't exactly been the best day, with finding out Validar was his father, followed by a sudden risen attack. While he was grateful to Marth for saving Chrom's life during the fight, something irked Robin when he saw Marth hugging Chrom in the distance, so he marched his way over to the pair.

  
"Robin!" Chrom beamed, placing a hand on Marth's shoulder. Robin's right eye twitched in annoyance, but he kept his cool.

  
"Were you crying just now, Marth?" Robin asked. He was trying to get a read on the situation. He wasn't feeling jealous per-say, just more annoyed that Marth had dragged Chrom away from him after the battle.

  
"Can we tell him, Luci?" Chrom asked, still smiling like an idiot.

  
"Of course," she nodded, wiping away her tears and allowing herself to smile.

  
"Luci? You said you're name was Marth," Robin said, raising his eyebrows in confusion.

  
"I said that you could call me Marth," the woman corrected. "I never said that was my true name."

  
"So first you lie about your gender and now your own name?" Robin scoffed. "Any other big secrets you're hiding from us?"

  
"Robin, this is going to be something of a shock, but I promise this is a good one," Chrom said, staring into Robin's eyes. His voice was comforting, but guarded. The incident with Validar was only a few hours ago, and Chrom didn't want to send Robin into another panic attack.  
Robin frowned but waited for Chrom to continue.

  
"This is our daughter Lucina from twenty years in the future."

  
Robin blinked. "What?"

  
"It's true," Lucina nodded. "I am indeed your daughter. Look closely and see for yourself."

  
Lucina stepped closer to Robin and tucked her royal blue hair behind her ear, exposing her left eye. Robin gasped softly at the sight before him: the Brand of Naga was located on the Lucina's eye in the exact same spot as their six month old baby.

  
"She has the same Brand carried by those apart of the Ylisse royal bloodline," Chrom confirmed. "The eye is not a place where that Brand can be falsely drawn on. It's real."

  
"Th-this is..." Robin was at a loss for words. "This doesn't make any sense! Where's our Lucina?"

  
"She's right where you left in, back in Ylisstol," Lucina said. "She's perfectly safe. I'm just from a time that is yet to pass."

  
"The future?" Robin asked.

  
"Yes," Lucina nodded. "A little less than twenty years hence. My future though took a dark and destructive turn, so Naga sent myself and a few others back in time in an attempt to change the past."

  
"What happened in your time?" Robin asked.

  
Lucina frowned. "The fell dragon, Grima, was resurrected. He left death at every turn. There was no place left on Earth where anyone could feel safe."

  
"I... I don't know what to say," Robin muttered to himself.

  
"She carries Falchion," Chrom said, walking over to Robin and grabbing his hand. "That sword cannot be replicated. There is only one in existence. That plus her Brand is enough evidence to prove she's telling the truth." Chrom smirked and glanced back over at his daughter. "That, plus the fact that she looks just like me. I mean, who else do you know that has that shade of blue for hair?"

  
Robin squeezed Chrom's hand and rolled his eyes in a playful manner before turning his attention back on Lucina.

  
"Are you really my daughter?"

  
"I swear on my life," she promised.

  
Robin smiled and let go of Chrom's hand to walk closer to Lucina. "You grew up so strong, so beautiful."

  
"Thank you, dad," Lucina smiled, tearing up a bit.

  
Robin opened his arms to offer a hug and Lucina quickly closed the distance between them, sobbing into her dad's coat. Robin smiled gently and stroked her hair in order to sooth her.

  
"I'm so proud of you, Lucina," Robin whispered, hugging her tighter.

  
"I've missed you two so much!" She cried.

  
"We're not going anywhere," Robin said. "I promise."

*****

"Owain, slow down!" Lucina yelled, running after her cousin.

  
Robin chuckled at the pair, watching them charge ahead of the group. Chrom laughed alongside him, wrapping on of his arms around Robin's shoulders as they marched.

  
"Poor Lon'qu, having to put up with both your sister and their hyperactive kid," Robin joked. "Wonder where he gets the energy to deal with them."

  
Up ahead, Owain skidded to a halt and turned around to face the rest of the group. The look on his face was unreadable, which was strange since Owain typically displayed all of his emotions very obviously.

  
"Luci," he called. "You need to come see this!"

  
"What is it now?" Lucina sighed, finally catching up with her excitable cousin. Her eyes wandered over to where Owain was pointing, just down the hill. Robin and Chrom jogged to catch up, wondering what caused Owain to suddenly stop.

  
Before they could reach them though, the two cousins bolted down the hill, swords drawn, ready to fight. Chrom unsheathed Falchion without a second thought and waved for the rest of the Shepherds to provide backup. Robin flipped open his Arcthunder tome and followed Lucina and Owain down the hill.  
At the very bottom there was a young girl fighting off a hoard of risen with a Levin sword. Her hair kept blowing in her face, and she kept pushing it back before each attack, but it became clear to Robin that she was way outnumbered.

  
"Morgan!" Lucina cried out, rushing over to help the young woman.

  
Lightning crackled around the Levin sword as the woman, Morgan, stabbed it through a nearby risen's chest. She spared a second of her time to glance over to where the voice came from. Morgan blinked in surprise and nearly dropped her sword.

  
"Lucina?"

  
Robin shot an arcthunder spell at a risen that was getting a little too close to Morgan. Chrom jogged over and took a defensive stance next to Robin.

  
Owain and Lucina had done a good job at clearing out a lot of the risen, leaving Robin, Chrom, and a handful of the other Shepherds to pick off the stragglers.  
Once all the risen were turned to purple smoke, Lucina dropped her version of Falchion and ran over to Morgan, wrapping her in a giant hug.

  
"Morgan! I've missed you so much!"

  
"Another one of you future children?" Chrom asked Owain while watching his daughter interact with this new person.

  
"Oh yes!" Owain exclaimed. "Lady Fate has smiled down upon us today! Our dear Morgan has finally been found!"

  
Lucina stepped back so everyone could see the newcomer. Morgan stood there, covered in dirt from the fight, but otherwise she looked unharmed. Her choppy black hair hung limply around her face, dripping with sweat. Her black coat had defiantly seen better days, with several rips in the sleeves and on the sides. Her golden eyes burned with adrenaline and her smile was so pure Robin swore she could out-cute Lissa. Robin did a double take though and looked at her coat once again. It was the exact same one as-

  
"Father! Dad!" Morgan gasped, sprinting over to the Exalt and tactician. She wrapped her arms around the pair, squeezing them tightly, and let out a sigh of relief. "I was looking everywhere for you two!"

  
The two men stared ahead at their eldest daughter who was blushing in embarrassment and avoiding eye contact.

  
"I, uh, may have forgotten to mention that I have a younger sister..."

*****

The sun reflected off Falchion, nearly blinding Robin, but he refused to break eye contact with his elder daughter. Her hand shook and tears were streaming down the side of her face, but she kept her sword pointed straight at her dad.

  
"Lucina," Robin said slowly, keeping his voice firm.

  
"No!" She cried, shaking her head. "Don't speak! I have to do this! Y-you don't understand!"

  
"Killing me won't give us back the Fire Emblem," Robin said, speaking slowly. He held his hands up to show he meant no harm.

  
"This isn't about the Fire Emblem!" Lucina shouted, holding Falchion with two hands now. "In my time, father was our only hope for winning the war! All I knew about his death was that someone very close to him killed him, but that could've been anyone that didn't return from that battle."

  
Lucina's hands stopped shaking as she stared her dad right in the eyes. "It wasn't until just a few hours ago when I realized who killed father in my timeline. Validar can control you. He's the one who kills father, but only by controlling you. I-I can't risk losing the war again!" She cried out. "So many people are counting on me to protect them!"

  
Robin stared back at Lucina, frowning. His mind raced back to that dream he had right before he met Chrom. The one where he was fighting a man who he now knew was Validar alongside Chrom, only to turn against Chrom and attack him using magic. He couldn't allow that dream to become a reality, so instead he forced himself to give his daughter a warm smile.

  
"If that's the case... I won't stop you. Do what you must."

  
"W-what?" Lucina stuttered.

  
"Lucina, all I want is for my family and everyone to be safe. If killing me gives you all a better chance at survival, I'll happily accept those odds and offer my own life," Robin explained. He watched as Lucina teared up a bit, but Robin himself refused to cry. He had to stay strong for his daughter, no matter the situation.

  
Lucina's stance dropped slightly. "Daddy, I-"

  
"That's enough, Lucina."

  
Chrom walked over, his eyes fixated on his eldest daughter. She took one look at him and dropped her sword, unable to fulfill the task of murdering her own dad. She covered her mouth in an attempt to hold back her broken sobs. The situation seemed so hopeless. Nonetheless, Chrom went over to her and gave her a gentle hug.

  
"I know you're scared. We're all scared, but killing Robin won't solve anything, no matter how willing he is to die," Chrom said, shooting his lover a cold glare.  
Robin held his position, keeping eye contact with Chrom. He meant what he said about being willing to sacrifice his own life for his family's, and he was not going to take it back just because Chrom was angry with him.

  
"Didn't you hear, Chrom?" Robin asked. "I-"

  
"I heard enough," Chrom said, cutting him off. He turned his attention back to Lucina and stepped back from the hug. "Go find Morgan and go back to your tent. I'll be over shortly to check in on you."

  
Lucina nodded and wiped away a few stray tears. Before leaving, she turned back to face Robin.

  
"Dad, I-"

  
"Don't worry about it, sweetie," Robin smiled gently. "Go do what your father said."

  
Lucina glanced at both her father and her dad before nodding and shuffling away in search of her sister. While Chrom watched Lucina leave, Robin started to slowly back away, not wanting to start a fight with Chrom.

  
The Exalt turned and saw Robin attempting to sneak away and glared. "Oh no you don't!" He snapped, running after the tactician. Robin yelped in panic and started running, but Chrom caught up almost instantly and wrapped his arms around Robin to keep him from getting away.

  
"What the bloody hell were you thinking, Robin?!" Chrom shouted. "How can you so willingly throw your life away?"

  
"Oh please!" Robin snapped, struggling against Chrom's hold on him. "Like you wouldn't do the exact same thing to save everyone!"

  
"We don't know for sure that you're the one who killed me in the future!" Chrom argued, not letting go. "And even if you were, this time around is different! We have the future children giving us warnings!"

  
"But I am the one that kills you!" Robin refutes, still fighting against Chrom. "Let me go dammit!"

  
"You don't know that for sure!" Chrom pushed.

  
"Yes, I do!" Robin cried out. "I saw it, okay!"

  
All at once, the pair stops. Robin stops fighting and Chrom lets go of him.

  
"What do you mean?" Chrom asks, his voice barely above a whisper. Robin refused to turn around and face him. "What do you mean you saw it?" Chrom repeated.

  
"Before you found me in that field all those years ago, there was a dream I had that I remembered," Robin whispered, speaking slowly to choose his words carefully. "In that dream, I was fighting alongside someone very close to me, and we were up against an insanely powerful sorcerer. We managed to take down the sorcerer together, but in his dying breath, the sorcerer released one last spell."

  
Robin took a shaky breath before continuing. "The spell was aimed towards the person I was with. Time in the dream slowed down, and I made the decision to push him out of the way. I got hit and the dream went black. When I woke back up in the dream, the person I was fighting alongside helped me to my feet. He was talking, but everything he said was echoey, like we were no longer even in the same room even though he was right there in front of me.

  
"My vision went red and this voice started to whisper in my mind. There was a shock of pain in my head for a moment, and I could no longer feel my body. It moved, but I wasn't the one telling it to move. My body summoned a Thoron spell, and I killed my partner."  
Tears started to fall down Robin's face. He was so tired of crying, but he couldn't help himself. "Chrom, the sorcerer was Validar, and the person I killed was you," he choked out. "That dream happened years ago and it still to this day haunts me. I-I can't go through that again. I can't watch myself kill you again."

  
Chrom closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath to steady himself. He opened his eyes again and exhaled.  
"Robin," he whispered. "Please turn around."

  
Robin shook his head. Chrom sighed and stepped forward, wrapping is arms around the tactician. Not in an attempt to keep him from running away, but just in comfort.

  
"We'll figure this out," Chrom muttered under his breath, but still loud enough for Robin to hear. "We always do."

  
"This just feels so certain though," Robin whispered. The tears had stopped but the sense of hopelessness was still there.

  
"Hey, you're the smartest, cleverest, and sexiest Grandmaster out there," Chrom said, giving Robin a squeeze for comfort. "Triple threat remember? Swords, sorcery, and tactics! If anyone can get us out of this mess, it's you!"

  
"I'm the one who got us in this mess to begin with!" Robin argued, laughing a little at Chrom's theatrics.

  
"I disagree, but if you feel that way, clean up your own messes," Chrom laughed.

  
The pair laughed together, the tension melting away. After a brief moment, Robin turned around in Chrom's arms, embracing him in a hug. He buried his face in Chrom's shoulder and smiled softly. Chrom returned the hug and planted a kiss on top of Robin's head.  
"We'll be okay," Chrom whispered. "I promise."

*****

Robin stumbled, almost falling down completely. He tensed, ready to collide with the solid, stone floor, but someone reached out, catching his left arm. Robin felt as the person pulled him back up. He turned his head to find Chrom. His hair was dripping with sweat from the desert heat and the intense fighting, but somehow he still managed to keep that goofy grin Robin loved.

  
"This is it!" Chrom said, almost cheerful. "Our final battle!"

  
Robin's heart sunk at those words. He had heard them before years ago and they had been haunting his mind ever since.

  
"Lets kill this bastard and be done with it!" Chrom continued, readying his sword.  
Robin glanced at the Thoron tome in his right hand and frowned.

  
"Yeah," he muttered. "Let's get this over with."

  
Without a second though, Robin shot a Thoron spell in Validar's direction. He missed, but the point wasn't to hit him. Instead, he forced Validar to dodge, moving him to the left right in Chrom's path. Robin allowed himself a glance at the rest of the Shepherd's on the other side of Validar's shield spell. Lucina and Morgan were fighting side by side, using techniques very similar to their parents.  
Frederick and Sumia were closer to the barrier, keeping the risen that got too close away. Sumia glanced back and met Robin's eyes. She smiled quickly before turning her attention back to the fight.  
Robin did the same and turned his focus back to Chrom just in time to watch him land a small slash on Validar's cheek. The dark mage jumped back and hissed in pain. Robin shot another Thoron spell at him, but the dark mage vanished before it could hit. Chrom looked around frantically before gesturing with his sword towards the ceiling.

  
"Up there!" He yelled.

  
Another Thoron spell was shot, and Robin couldn't help but smile a little when he saw it connect. Validar crashed to the stone floor along with pieces of the ceiling that crumbled from Robin's attack. There was a lot of dust as Chrom made his way over to Robin.

  
"Is it over?" Chrom asked.

  
Robin squinted, trying to see past the dust. As the dust began to settle, he could make out Validar struggling to get to his feet, only to collapse again.

  
Chrom turned to Robin and smiled in relief. He took the tactician's face in his hands and kissed him in celebration. For a brief moment, Robin forgot how his dream ended.

  
However, the moment didn't last long at all. Muffled screams from the other side of the barrier pulled Robin back. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted one last dark spell headed straight for them.  
Just like in the dream, time seemed to slow down. Robin could hear the muffled screams from Frederick, Sumia, Lucina, and several other Shepherds telling them to look out. He could see the slight look of confusion on Chrom's face as he pulled away. He could see the spell coming towards them, threatening to kill whoever came in contact with it.  
Without hesitation, Robin shoved Chrom as hard as he could. The exalt stumbled backwards before falling, but at least he was out of range of the spell. Robin tensed, bracing for the impact of the dark magic.

*****

When Robin came to, everything was silent, save for the very faint crackling of electricity. He blinked slowly, trying to take in his surroundings.

  
The barrier put up by Validar was gone, so all of the Shepherds were closer now than before, but despite all of the risen being defeated, they kept their weapons drawn.

  
Robin was about to brush this off as them being paranoid, but he realized a few tiny details that shifted the whole tone of the situation.

  
One: The faint sound of the electricity crackling that he heard was coming from his hand, meaning he just casted a spell.

  
Two: The majority of the Shepherds had their weapons pointed in Robin's direction, as if they were debating on attacking him or not.

  
Three: Chrom was on the ground. He wasn't moving.

  
Gaius and Tharja were the only ones with their backs to Robin. Tharja had her Bolganone tome open and Gaius had his sword drawn, as if they were ready to hold off the rest of the Shepherds.

  
"Move," Frederick ordered. He looked ready to tear Robin to shreds.

  
"No," Tharja replied, not moving.

  
"Tharja, let me-" Robin said, stopping suddenly. He didn't know what to say or how to defend himself. Their plan walking into this was half-assed at best, literal garbage at worst.

  
"We're just following your orders, Bubbles," Gaius said. Neither of the retainers moved from their defensive positions.

  
"You'll defend your exalt's murderer?" Frederick accused, stepping forward to emphasize his point.

  
Gaius and Tharja tensed, but held their positions.

  
"We took an oath," Tharja muttered.

  
"Same as you, Freddie," Gaius added.

  
Frederick looked ready to lunge at that, but Robin pushed his way in front of his two retainers.

  
"Morgan?" He asked, ignoring everyone else in the room. His daughter was kneeling next to Chrom. Her hand was holding Lucina's arm, as if to hold her back. Morgan looked up from her father and left out a small sigh of relief.

  
"He's alive," she announced. "Just unconscious. I think he hit his head when he fell."

  
Robin released the breath he didn't realize he was holding in. Chrom was alive. Their plan worked.

  
"Milord is alive?" Frederick whispered.

  
"Yes," Morgan repeated. "He'll be okay."

  
"Wanna lower that lance now, Freddie?" Gaius asked, half jokingly. He was still on guard, but with the news of Chrom surviving out in the open, he dropped the serious tone.

  
Frederick slowly lowered his lance and stared at Robin's retainers. "You two knew?"

  
Gaius relaxed and nodded his head while Tharja closed her tome.

  
"Of course we knew," Tharja deadpanned.

  
Gaius rolled his eyes. "We figured he would live, but we weren't sure until Morgan confirmed it."

  
"So why did you-"

  
"Like Tharja said," Gaius cut him off. "We took an oath. You know how it is."

  
"Lord Chrom knew about the plan," Tharja explained. "It's not like we went behind his back."

  
"A plan I assume was created by Robin here," Frederick stated, shifting his glare to the grandmaster.

  
"Actually, it was my idea," a voice groaned.

  
Everyone turned to watch Chrom start to sit up. His armor around his chest was burnt to all hell, and he wore a pained expression, but he was alive.

  
"Chrom," Robin breathed out in a sigh of relief. He ran over to help sit Chrom up, who groaned in protest.

  
"I'm so sorry," Robin choked out, tearing up as he held Chrom close. "I knew this was a bad idea, I don't know why-"

  
"Hey, come now, I'm fine," Chrom hushed gently, wrapping an arm around Robin. The exalt planted a small kiss on top of his partner's head and smiled softly. "It was my idea anyway. And hey! It worked!"

  
"You could've died!" Robin protested.

  
"Robin, it's fine, I'm okay," Chrom reassured him. "It's all okay. We're okay."

*****

They had not counted on the hierophant being Robin from the future. With Grima in their true vessel, the Shepherd's options were limited. Naga though had made them pretty clear.

  
Either have Chrom slay Grima, and just lock them away again for generations in the future to deal with, or have Robin give the final blow and die alongside Grima. Robin was favoring the one where they didn't risk screwing over future generations, but Chrom shot his plan down the second the option left Naga's mouth.

  
But just because Chrom said no didn't mean Robin had to listen.

  
"You wouldn't dare!" Grima snarled.  
The Shepherds were all standing on Grima's back, but the Risen suddenly stopped appearing. Grima was on his knees in front of Robin, who had is Book of Naga spell book wide open. Chrom, despite the awakening, was breathing heavily behind Robin, barely able to move.

  
"You want to make that bet?" Robin smirked, no humor in his voice. "I think you're seriously underestimating what I'm willing to do for the people I love."

  
"You'll never see them again if you do this!" Grima snapped, his voice growing more desperate.

  
"Robin, don't!" Chrom huffed. Robin turned his head slightly to flash Chrom a gentle smile before turning back to stare daggers at Grima.

  
"This is the only way to guarantee that you won't hurt anyone ever again. Not my daughters, not my Shepherds, not my partner, and not the generations to come. My life is a small price to pay for their safety."

  
"Robin, please!" Chrom begged. Robin refused to turn again. He knew if he saw Chrom's face, tears streaming down it, he wouldn't be able to say no to him. He'd let Chrom end the fight, and Grima would still technically be alive.

  
He couldn't allow that to happen.  
"For once, I'm glad that you and I are one in the same," Robin admitted, smiling a bit. "This way, I can make sure that you never bring harm to this world again."

  
Robin didn't even let Grima respond before blasting him full force with a spell straight from the Book of Naga. There was a pitched scream that echoed in everyone's ears, and then nothing. Grima was gone. The Shepherd's were quickly surrounded by light as Naga teleported them off of the disintegrating dragon's back.

  
Once their feet were on solid ground, Robin's legs gave out. He felt his knees buckle and prepared himself to fall, but strong, familiar arms caught him before that could happen.

  
"Robin, please, stay with me," Chrom begged, his voice soft. Robin stared up into his partner's blue eyes and laughed weakly.

  
"This is how we met, remember?" Robin asked, his voice raspy. "In a field, me on the ground, you helping me up. Swore for a moment I had died and you were an angel sent to retrieve my sorry excuse for a soul."

  
"Oh please," Chrom scoffed, half smiling at the memory, half in tears. Robin's body was fading fast, but he gave in to Robin's desire to reminisce over their past. "When I saw you just laying there, my only thought was who could've possibly thought to abandon this treasure?"

  
"I think Frederick had some different words to describe me back then," Robin coughed, trying to laugh.

  
"You can't leave," Chrom whispered. "We'll be lost without you. I need you. I can't raise Lucina and Morgen on my own, they'll end up inheriting my lack of intelligence!"

  
Robin rolled his eyes and smiled, stretching his neck up just enough to plant one last on Chrom's lips.

  
"You'll be okay," he said, before fading away into nothing in Chrom's arms.

*****

"We haf ta do someting!"

  
"What are we 'posed ta do?"

  
"I donno!"

  
Robin's eyes cracked open, but he instantly shut them, the sun blinding him momentarily. The two voices he heard let out a shrill screech when he moved. He pushed himself up onto one elbow and groaned, using his other arm to block out the sunlight. He forced his eyes opened and found two kids staring at him with wide, curious eyes.

  
The older child stepped forward, cautiously, but with enough bravery to show that she was in charge between the two kids. Robin didn't know what to do, no one saying anything.

  
"Hey!" A stern voice snapped. The two girls spun around, the younger one running over to the new voice.

  
"Daddy!" She called out. "There's a man sleeping in da grass!"

  
The older child took a step away from Robin, closer to who Robin assumed was her father. He tried to look up at the new man, but the sun was in that direction and his eyes were sore. His whole body felt weak, like he had been sleeping way longer than normal. The last thing he remembered-

  
"Luci! Get back here!" Their father yelled. The older kid gave Robin one last glance before running over to join her sister and father. Robin waved his hand at the man, still not looking directly at him.

  
"M'sorry!" He coughed. His voice was raspy, his throat dry. How long had he been out?

  
The sunlight got dimmer as the girls' father walked closer, his shadow stretching out over the field, blocking the sun from Robin's eyes. He sighed in relief and finally was able to look up at the man.

  
The way he carried himself across the field with such confidence told Robin that this wasn't someone he'd want to face in a fight. He had a sword strapped to his side and a cape blowing out behind him. Only one arm was exposed, and there was a mark on the open shoulder. Robin stared at the man, not making eye contact until he was directly in front of him.

  
Familiar, blue eyes framed by familiar, blue hair.

  
"C-Chrom?" Robin whispered. He couldn't fully believe what he was seeing. Last time he saw Chrom was-

  
Chrom reached down, holding his hand out for Robin. He was smiling, tears pooling in his eyes.

  
"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know?"

  
Robin grabbed Chrom's hand and pulled him down onto the grass with him. He wrapped his arms around his partner's shoulders and cried. He didn't know how much time had passed, but he knew it had felt like an eternity since he last held Chrom close.

  
"I'm so sorry," Robin choked out. "I'm sorry! I didn't want to leave you, or Lucina, or Morgen- I'm so sorry!"

  
Chrom's hand was stroking Robin's hair as he shushed the frantic tactician, trying to sooth him. "It's okay. We have plenty of time for hat conversation later," he whispered. "We have all the time in the world now."


End file.
